2014

12/31/14

There's no doubt that transportation will be a hot topic in 2015, and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce's Transportation Summit recently held at the Classic Center in Athens revealed a host of items to keep an eye out for in the coming year.
While the long-awaited transportation report from the Joint Study Committee on Critical Transportation Infrastructure Funding was not yet finished when the summit convened Dec. 9, industry experts and government officials predict that next year we'll be looking at solutions to the dwindling gas tax, mass transportation options, more rail and cargo, and an increased emphasis on last-mile delivery.
Gov. Nathan Deal announced that he is shaking up transportation staff, naming the State Road and Tollway Authority...

12/19/14

12/17/14

The University of Georgia's Terry College of Business unveiled the 2015 Economic Outlook Friday, Dec. 12, at a luncheon at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta. Douglas Handler, chief U.S. economist for IHS Global Insights, spoke about the national outlook, and Benjamin Ayers, dean of the Terry College, presented the Georgia forecast. In a break from recent tradition, there was pretty good news all the way around.
Handler not only offered a fairly upbeat national forecast, he made the audience laugh out loud – an unexpected treat! Here are a few of the highlights on the countrywide front.
2015 will be a noticeably better year than 2014, but still won't be a really good year.
The federal deficit is under control, a good thing, Handler says, but it...

12/12/14

The Captain Planet Foundation threw a star-studded 2014 Benefit Gala Dec. 5 honoring renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall as well as Georgians Dr. Marshall Shepherd, director of the University of Georgia’s Atmospheric Sciences Program, and 12-year-old Carter Ries and his sister Olivia, 10, founders of One More Generation (OMG). Other stars attending included Ted Turner, Jane Fonda, Larry King and CNN Anchor and Event Co-Chair Natalie Allen.
Captain Planet Foundation Executive Director Leesa Carter described the environmental organization’s success with reaching children, including the expansion of the Project Learning Garden program, which, in partnership with Pratt Industries, is now available to any school in the country for just $1,000; and...

12/09/14

The Virginia Highland website: "Historic Virginia Highland is Atlanta's most popular neighborhood for shopping, dining and nightlife. Developed in the early 1900's, it consists of seven distinct commercial "villages" alternating with short, walkable blocks of charming bungalow homes. The neighborhood's name derives from the intersection of Virginia and Highland Avenues.
Locals and tourists alike mingle for brunch at charming sidewalk cafes, cocktails at lively night spots, and innovative cuisine at progressive restaurants and bistros. Discovering the unexpected is part of the attraction where you may find world- famous musical entertainment at a tiny nightclub, an opening-night party at an art gallery or a gathering of...

12/05/14

A big helping of optimism was served up along with lunch at Tuesday’s (Dec. 2) annual meeting of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Transportation may be the chamber’s No. 1 issue for 2015, but outgoing chair Richard Anderson, Delta’s CEO, cautioned against too much negativity.
“Let’s level-set where we are,” he said in a pre-meeting press availability. “Atlanta competes with Houston, Dallas – and Charlotte, to a lesser degree. I’ll match our traffic against traffic in Houston and Dallas any day. I’m a Texan, so I can say that. We have work that we have to do. … But let’s understand where we are in the context of overall infrastructure. We compete very well in the competitive set of Southeastern...

12/02/14

​The Georgia Writers Hall of Fame hosted induction events and a ceremony in early November to honor 2014 inductees Olive Anne Burns, Mary Hood and Alfred Uhry. The hall of fame, housed at the University of Georgia, inducts writers – both living and posthumously – who are either native Georgians or have produced a significant work while in the state or about Georgia.
Highlights of this year's events included a staged reading of Uhry's play The Last Night of Ballyhoo and a program featuring Hood and Uhry.
Following the ceremony, the judges sequestered themselves to select the inductees for next year. The 2015 Georgia Writers Hall of Fame inductees are Taylor Branch, Janisse Ray, Paul Hemphill...

11/25/14

The Atlanta BeltLine is spurring development all along the corridor, from restaurants, retail and residential buildings to massive redevelopment projects like Ponce City Market. In Inman Park, the Krog Street Market, set within a 1920s warehouse facility, is bustling with activity as construction crews finish and restaurants and retail tenants hang up their shingles.
The team behind The General Muir, selected as one of Georgia Trend’s 2014 Silver Spoon winners, is opening up not one, but two concepts in Krog Street Market – sandwich stall Fred’s Meat & Bread and Yalla, a Middle Eastern food stall featuring shawarma, kebabs, falafel and fresh-baked pita and laffa. It will join recently opened Craft Izakaya, Spice Road Chicken and The Luminary from former Top...

11/21/14

Sam Williams, former CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, launched his new book Monday, Nov. 17, with a star-studded panel including Tom Bell, chairman of Mesa Capital Partners and former CEO of Cousins Properties; Pete Correll, chairman of the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation Board and Atlanta Equity, and chairman emeritus of Georgia Pacific; and Michael Russell, CEO of H.J. Russell & Co.
Williams' book, The CEO as Urban Statesman, published by Mercer University Press, covers his experiences with Atlanta leaders and his observations of ways leaders in other cities like Chicago and Oklahoma City have overcome adversity and bad circumstances with vision and tenacity. He also describes in detail how he and the three panelists – all Grady board members...

11/18/14

Carl Sanders
Georgia lost two men this week whose important contributions to the state will continue to be felt for decades to come. Businessman Herman Russell passed away Saturday, Nov. 15. He was 83. Former Gov. Carl Sanders died Sunday, Nov. 16. He was 89.
A lifelong Atlantan, businessman, philanthropist and Civil Rights leader Herman Russell turned a small plastering firm into one of the most successful African-American-owned real estate development and construction companies in the country, breaking racial and economic barriers along the way. H.J. Russell & Co. is responsible for much of the city’s skyline, from the Georgia-Pacific headquarters to the Georgia Dome. The company is also a partner in the joint venture to build the $1.3-billion...

11/14/14

Georgia's push to produce 250,000 more college graduates – that's above and beyond current graduation levels – by the year 2020 stems from a recent projection that more than 60 percent of jobs in Georgia will require a college certificate, associate's or bachelor's degree. Currently, only 42 percent of young adults in the state are prepared. Complete College Georgia (CCG) is the program Gov. Nathan Deal announced in 2011 to help the state achieve that goal.
One component of CCG is REACH, a needs-based scholarship program that targets middle schoolers. “When they're in middle school, they sign a contract to maintain a certain grade point average, to remain crime-, drug- and behavior issue-free, and meet with a volunteer mentor until they graduate...

11/11/14

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) State of the Region Address brought transportation back to the forefront of local issues with the results of a new survey that showed support for transit in all 10 Metro Atlanta counties.
According to the region-wide poll, 92 percent of those surveyed favor improving public transit across the region, up from 88 percent in 2013. Transit displaced the economy as residents’ biggest concern. Respondents are more upbeat about the economy, with 43 percent rating job opportunities excellent or good, up from 36 percent last year. While only 1 percent of the region is considered walkable, a walkable area is the most coveted place to live, according to the survey. Also, arts and culture emerged as factors equally as vital as transportation...

11/07/14

The election Tuesday sent a clear signal that Georgia is still a red state, echoing broad cross-country sentiment tied to global crises and our nation's seeming inability to handle them. It reminded me of the 1994 midterms when President Bill Clinton saw both the House and Senate go red. You can't blame politicians for playing against a president in the midterms; however, it's a populist ploy that perpetuates partisanship.
I hope the GOP can become more united and less extremist in its governing with control of both chambers, for the sake of the business community at least. I expect more gridlock with the president but less far-right pandering. I seem to remember the Clinton era as prosperous in spite of the whole Monica-gate GOP obsession that...

11/04/14

It's Election Day – the day we get to exercise our rights as Americans and vote for our preferred state and national leaders. Take advantage of the freedom to express your opinion through the voting process as our government transitions the way it has for more than two centuries – peacefully and with the participation of our citizens.
Check back to tomorrow. We'll have a list of winners as well as those who are headed for a runoff. The date for a general election runoff for state and local races is Dec. 2. For federal races, it’s Jan. 6, 2015.
Candidates for some of the high-profile and statewide elections are listed below with links to their websites. Learn more, then get out and vote! – Karen Kirkpatrick
U.S. Senator
Michelle...

10/31/14

Certainly a large share of the national and local focus is on whether Georgia will go blue or stay red come election day, Nov. 4. But for many communities, there is also a lot of transportation money at stake.
Georgia has no secure, reliable source of transportation funding, and, in fact, spends less on transportation than almost any other state in the country. To address the need for transportation money, communities have put forth local tax referenda to help leverage federal dollars, which make up the majority of our transportation funding.
Even this method may not pay the dividends community leaders hope. With Metro Atlanta the poster child for sprawl and auto dependency, the U.S. Department of Transportation is increasingly reluctant to match local funds for widening roads...

10/28/14

Farming and agriculture have been essential parts of Georgia's economy since before the state's founding in 1788. Today the Peach State is the top producer in the country of peanuts, pecans and watermelons, and agriculture has an annual economic impact of $71.1 billion, according to the University of Georgia Extension Service.
To honor the ongoing role of agriculture in state, the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources began the Georgia Centennial Farm Program in 1993. Since that time, more than 460 farms continuously operating for 100 years or more have been recognized.
The 21st annual Georgia Centennial Farm awards ceremony was held earlier this month at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, when 18...

10/24/14

Honoree Milton “Mjay” Hall, right, with some of his family
On Oct. 21, bestselling author Becky Blalock challenged some of Georgia's best and brightest to get out of their comfort zones, take more risks and dare to do more at Georgia Trend's annual 40 Under 40 banquet.
Held in the beautiful Egyptian Ballroom at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, the event recognized this year's honorees, who were named to the list because of their impact on Georgia through their work and community service efforts. The ballroom was full of friends, family and co-workers, who came out to support and congratulate these 40 men and women for their efforts.
WellStar Health System and Kennesaw State University sponsored the event. Becky Blalock, managing...

10/21/14

Do you have an idea to make the cities of Columbus, Macon or Milledgeville more successful? If you do, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation might just pay you to put your idea in play. In the first-ever national Knight Cities Challenge, the foundation is looking for ideas that will make the 26 cities – including three here in Georgia – where Knight invests more vibrant places to live and work.
Applications for a piece of the $5 million pie are being accepted through Nov. 14, at 5 p.m. ET at KnightCities.org.
“Our hope is to inspire people – even those who have not previously thought of themselves as civic innovators – to get involved in shaping the future of their cities,” says Carol Coletta, Knight Foundation vice president for...

10/17/14

Some of the brightest minds in the world gather in Savannah each year to compete for two $100,000 prizes at the Ocean Exchange. The Orcelle Award, funded by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, challenges applicants to develop technologies to improve the efficiency of logistics operations on a global scale. The Navigator Award, funded by Gulfstream, is presented to companies working to improve sustainability. Last week, 22 experts from around the world selected 10 finalists, including two grand prize winners, for this year's awards, at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.
This year's Orcelle Award went to Deep Green from Minesto AB of Sweden. Deep Green produces electricity from low velocity tidal and ocean currents using a sort of underwater kite comprised of a...

10/15/14

First it was wine, then it was beer, now moonshine is having its day in the sun.
This Saturday, Oct. 18, is the first Andrews Moonshine Festival in the Andrews Entertainment District in Atlanta. Visitors – over age 21, of course – can purchase general admission or VIP tickets and taste more than 60 varieties of moonshine, enjoy live music, and learn more about the art and taste of moonshine and whiskey at seminars all afternoon.
To learn more about the ins and outs of Georgia’s craft-alcohol business, see Georgia Trend’s July cover story, “Popping the Cap on Georgia’s Craft Brew Industry.” – Karen Kirkpatrick

10/10/14

Ray Anderson, the founder of Interface, the Atlanta-based modular carpet manufacturer, left behind a legacy far greater than his company. Anderson set Interface on its Mission Zero path, a company-wide promise to eliminate any negative impact it has on the environment by the year 2020. Today Interface is recognized around the world for its commitment to build environmental considerations into its business decisions.
To further that environmental commitment, the company announced at the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting last month that it is expanding Net-Works, its program with the Zoological Society of Londonto recycle discarded nylon fishing nets from some of the poorest communities in the world into nylon yarn that Interface uses in its carpet...

10/07/14

It takes more than a commitment to a job, more than a willingness to work hard from 9 to 5, more even than phenomenal career success to make it onto Georgia Trend's list of 40 Under 40. To be recognized as one of our state's best and brightest, you must demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of people in your community and making your corner of the world a better place to live.
This year's list includes outstanding individuals who do medical research that saves lives, who provide foster kids a home, who help low-income families find safe housing, who feed the hungry and who restore our environment.
Meet this year's outstanding group of young people who work every day to ensure Georgia is a state we can all be proud to call home. Meet the...

10/03/14

Last week at the State of the Ports Address, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) laid out an ambitious agenda to surpass New York and New Jersey to become the biggest port on the East Coast. “What was unfathomable a decade ago is in our reach,” GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz told the crowd of some 1,350 attendees at Savannah's International Trade and Convention Center.
The dredging of Savannah Harbor could commence in a matter of months, and word has already gotten out, Foltz noted. He reported 1,900 new ports-related jobs this past year with the addition of Dynacraft bikes, Nordic cold storage, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and other companies. “The U.S. recovery has been predominantly in retail, and we've benefited as the gateway to the Southeast,”...

09/26/14

Georgia recently vaulted to the top of the list in electric vehicle (EV) sales by state, thanks in part to a $5,000 tax credit granted to electric vehicle drivers. That’s great news for Georgia’s environment, but where are all those drivers charging their electric vehicles?
A new incentive program from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) designed to increase the number of charging stations around the state should make it much easier for EV drivers to plug in.
Charge Georgia will provide colleges, universities, technical colleges, state agencies, cities and counties with a rebate of up to $40,000 to install EV charging stations on campuses and facilities. The application period for the program opens Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, at www.gefa.org....

09/24/14

From his positions as president and CEO of First Bank of Georgia in Augusta and chairman of the Georgia Bankers Association, Remer Brinson has a great view of the business changes banks across the state are making in response to the improving economy and new industry regulations.
“Going through the recession, the hardest part was working with our customers who were struggling with ‘how do you get through this period?'," Brinson recalls. "But we got through that period, so now they see a little improvement in their business – relatively small, but increases in sales and margins. I think that’s the same description with banks in Georgia. They’ve hunkered down, and now they don’t have as many problems and are becoming more...

09/19/14

Atlanta-based Hannah Solar, a full-service design-build solar integrator, has invested big in south Georgia. Hannah is building two solar farms with nearly 7,000 panels generating 1 megawatt of power, or enough to power 400 homes, in Oglethorpe, as part of Georgia Power's Advanced Solar Initiative.
The panels are installed on 5 acres leased from Chase Family Farms, and are the next phase in a series of collaborations between Hannah and south Georgia agricultural communities, including Bainbridge and Vidalia.
"South Georgia's agricultural community has always understood the importance of solar power," says Pete Marte, Hannah CEO.
For more on solar and other alternative energy use in Georgia, see this month's Georgia Trend article,...

09/17/14

When you visit Stone Mountain Park, you can see more than a giant rock and enormous carving. You can also see this beautiful pine and cedar covered bridge that leads to Indian Island. The more than 100-year-old bridge was moved to Stone Mountain Park from Athens, Ga., in 1969.

09/10/14

Peachtree Corners, Gwinnett County’s newest city (incorporated in 2012) is creating a central business district. Last night, Sept. 8, local leaders invited residents and the business community to an open house to add their two cents on this new area that will also serve as the heart of the city. Citizens were asked to weigh in on issues including redeveloping aging strip malls, incorporating walking and biking paths into the new district, and creating safe ways for pedestrians to cross Peachtree Parkway.
The open house was part of the Livable Cities Initiative study Peachtree Corners started in the spring thanks in large part to a $96,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission. The study will help the city develop a walkable, connected downtown core and create a...

09/05/14

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) recently reported that Atlanta grew by 52,700 people between April 1, 2013 and April 1, 2014, a sign that the growth that once overwhelmed the 10-county metro region is returning. All of the counties in the region experienced growth, with Gwinnett, Fulton and Cobb taking the top three spots.
“Because the Atlanta region is an attractive place for employers and employees, we tend to attract people from all over the country, creating more in-migration than out-migration,” says Mike Alexander, manager of ARC’s Research & Analytics Division.
While not as robust as the growth during the boom years of the 1990s and early 2000s, this growth is greater than last year’s, and puts the region’s total population at...

09/02/14

For many Georgians, classes may have officially started in August, but September is still the month often associated with back to school.
In Athens, back to school means a flurry of folks coming to town to enjoy football, the bustling music scene, craft-brewed beer, a wide range of downtown restaurants and – oh, yes – a new year of classes and campus activities.
Nobody is busier in the fall than University of Georgia President Jere Morehead. Learn about the Top Dawg’s big plans for the university’s future in this month’s feature, Expecting Excellence.

08/26/14

The Georgia Environmental Conference brought nearly 700 attendees and vendors to sunny Jekyll Island last week to attend lectures and panels on topics ranging from stormwater management to integrating minorities into sustainability culture. Georgia Trend’s Ben Young attended and brought back these highlights.
All-star Panel
Susan Catron of the Savannah Morning News moderated a panel of environmental all-stars. The panel, sponsored by the Georgia Brownfield Association, discussed Driving Economic Growth and Stewarding Environmental Resources.
Economic development is extremely important to sustainability, says panelist Paul Morris, CEO of the Atlanta BeltLine. So far, the BeltLine has brought $100 million of investment to Atlanta. Bringing the environmental, social...

08/22/14

AT&T is not the only business using its new Midtown Foundry to develop apps that can help make our lives more convenient. By hosting Hackathons, the company is opening up its facility and resources to developers who are looking to fast-track their own apps.
Hackathons at AT&T are 24-hour coding challenges. Participants form teams to brainstorm and develop a mobile app and working prototype that they present to judges – prizes and food are essential ingredients of the events.
The most recent Hackathon in June 2014 focused on home automation and solutions for people with disabilities – and drew more than 100 participants.
Award-winners at that event included a hub that allows for the automation of home devices such as Nest thermostats from a single web...

08/19/14

Georgia is home to a number of cities that have gotten it right when it comes to downtown development and revitalization. Three such cities – Moultrie, Thomasville and Valdosta – got to show off their impressive downtown areas to officials from across the state as part of the Georgia Municipal Association’s recent Heart and Soul of Georgia Tour.
Take a look at some of the photos from these bustling Georgia towns, and read about different ways the cities have tackled downtown development in this month’s feature, Deep in the Heart and Soul of Georgia. – Karen Kirkpatrick Kennedy

08/12/14

The High Museum's Dream Cars exhibit, open through Sept. 7 in Atlanta, features 17 innovative concept cars from across Europe and the U.S., including incredibly rare designs from Ferrari, Bugatti, GM and Porsche. To complement the exhibit, Table 1280, the Woodruff Arts Center’s restaurant, is featuring a selection of Dream Car-tails.
Read about more drinks inspired by the car exhibit and other restaurants that are worth the drive in this month’s Art of the Meal column, Mind the Gap. – Karen Kirkpatrick Kennedy
Bubble car: 1942 L’oeuf Electrique
Courtesy of the Woodruff Arts Center

08/05/14

Georgia’s environmental successes – from water conservation in Metro Atlanta and recycling across the carpet industry to solar farms that are becoming as common as peach orchards – are impressive and growing.
Thanks to a variety of organizations across the state that measure, report on and educate about our collective environmental impact, we can all find more ways to reduce our footprint.
Learn about the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District’s 19 conservation measures that are setting the standard for water conservation across the southeast.
See how the work of Clean Cities-Atlanta – now Clean Cities-Georgia – has grown to ensure cleaner, healthier living throughout our state.
And if you think this environmental focus...

08/01/14

While the Atlanta Braves may be the biggest name in Georgia baseball, they're not the only game in town. Georgia’s four minor league baseball teams have a major league economic impact – and provide exciting family entertainment to fans – around the state.
It’s not too late to take in a game this season, which runs through the first week of September. Check out the schedules for the Rome Braves, Gwinnett Braves, Savannah Sand Gnats and Augusta Greenjackets and enjoy an afternoon or evening of the great American pastime.
For more on the economics of minor league baseball, read “Play Ball,” in the August issue of Georgia Trend. – Karen Kirkpatrick Kennedy

07/29/14

Artist John Dunn's work for SweetWater Brewing Co. became so synonymous with the brand that they brought him on staff full time. Now, the images for their promotions and new beer lines flow as freely as the brews.
Read more about SweetWater and Georgia's beer scene in the July issue's "Popping the Cap on Georgia's Beer Industry."

07/22/14

There’s a spot in Georgia where students and researchers can look back at life in our state from prehistory through the 1930s. The site, on Ossabaw Island, about 20 miles south of Savannah, contains the remnants of a prehistoric village, an antebellum plantation and a 1930s tenant farmer’s home. With signs of human occupation dating back 4,500 years, the site offers exposure to a wide range of archaeological features and techniques.
The Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Dr. Victor Thompson of the University of Georgia just wrapped up a summer archaeological field school on the island. Open to both graduate and undergraduate students, the field school’s goal was to collect information and...

07/16/14

Congratulations to Robert Ramsay, new head of the Georgia Conservancy, an Atlanta nonprofit that has been advocating for environmental issues and developing strategic collaborations to preserve our natural resources since 1967. Ramsay has big shoes to fill – former Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard was the previous president and will remain active on environmental issues.
A Toccoa native, Ramsay is a past president of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association and considered one of the best fly fishing guides in the world. He worked at the Nature Conservancy of Georgia prior to coming to Georgia Conservancy and graduated from the 2013 class of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership.
Howard called him “the ideal choice” for the position. We look forward to...

07/11/14

Been a while since you’ve gone to downtown Atlanta? You might be surprised with what you’ll now find.
With the opening in June of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the re-opening of the Polaris restaurant in Atlanta, the area is booming with attractions, and summer’s a perfect time to take it all in. Grab the whole family and make a day – or two – of being a downtown tourist.
Start at SkyView, Atlanta’s new Ferris wheel. From up top you can see all of downtown and a good bit of the surrounding metro area.
From there, stroll over to Pemberton Place – you’ll see it from SkyView – where the Center for Civil and Human Rights is located alongside the World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium.
End your day...

07/07/14

The College Hill Corridor area in Macon continues to receive accolades for its approach to development and community engagement. Most recently, Tattnall Square Park, located in the heart of the corridor, was named one of 12 Frontline Parks nationwide by the City Parks Alliance.
“We selected Tattnall Square Park as a Frontline Park because it exemplifies the power of urban parks to build community and make our cities sustainable and vibrant,” says Catherine Nagel, executive director, City Parks Alliance.
The park is one of the oldest urban parks in the country and second oldest in Georgia. As part of the College Hill Corridor, the park and its restoration, spearheaded by the Friends of Tattnall Square Park, are integral to the redevelopment efforts of...

07/01/14

The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MAC) presented a panel on electric vehicles at the Clean Tech Leadership Council lunch on June 13. According to panelists, the greatest surge in users may come as big area employers grow infrastructure and incentive programs
Coca-Cola Co. transportation planner Eric Ganther says their average company employee drives a 90-minute commute. To help offset employee costs and make getting to work more convenient, the company now offers shuttles, bikes, MARTA/Express incentives, and 85 charging stations for 100 electric vehicle drivers, at no cost to employees – and a cost to Coke of only $.88 per vehicle per day.
Richard Lowenthal, the founder and chief technical officer of ChargePoint, a company that manufactures charging stations and...

06/27/14

In May, Georgia State University (GSU) and Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) announced a partnership to air GPB's news/talk programming on WRAS (Album 88 – GSU's student-run radio station) seven days a week, 10 hours a day beginning this month. The outcry against the plan from students, alumni and listeners in the 100,000-watt station's area, which reaches Metro Atlanta's 10 counties, was immediate. And while the deal is still in the works, the on-air date was moved from early June until June 29.
Let's take a look at why so many people are against this arrangement.
Album 88 is one of the brightest and rarest cultural offerings we have in the state – and a huge part of Atlanta's ability to attract and retain young talent. The resources Album...

06/23/14

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” – Margaret Mead
That quote is etched in the glass of the water feature outside the new National Center for Civil and Human Rights (NCCHR) in downtown Atlanta. It sets the stage perfectly for the stories that are told inside. The center includes not only personal accounts of the Civil Right's movement, but more importantly shows how that movement – born in Atlanta – continues to inspire people around the world.
It is a museum that stays focused on the human in human rights with three distinct exhibits – Civil Rights, Human Rights and the personal papers of Martin Luther King Jr. As you tour the exhibits, you travel from Atlanta, through the South and...

06/17/14

Two days before the Battle of Atlanta in July 1864, Gen. William T. Sherman ordered that railroad tracks be destroyed to disrupt the Confederacy’s transportation network. Under the cover of night, Union soldiers heated and twisted the rails, bending them around trees and telegraph poles. Left to cool, the now-useless rails became known as Sherman’s Neckties.
In 2011, Stone Mountain unveiled a new work of public art that replicates one such necktie. It stands at the approximate location of the start of Sherman’s March to the Sea, near Shermantown, the historically African-American neighborhood named in honor of the night the general and his troops spent in the area before beginning their march in November 1964.
To learn more about the Civil War in Georgia...

06/13/14

Midtown Atlanta has been going through a real renaissance, with new high-rises, pop-up art, sustainable restaurants and boundaries that now stretch from Westside to Poncey Highlands. With growth projections for the city skewing toward walkable districts, it's an opportunity for Midtown, said Midtown Alliance President Kevin Green at the May 28 panel discussion, “Midtown Dialogues: The Urban Experience.”
Public art, an expanding Piedmont Park and public safety investments are reconnnecting neighborhoods, as more Atlantans choose to walk and bike around the city. “We have 300 acres of greenspace and several higher education institutions [SCAD-Atlanta, Georgia Tech], all in a 1.2-square-mile walkable district,” said Green. “The Midtown Alliance has...

06/10/14

Visitors to Columbus can channel the city’s namesake explorer by discovering hidden treasures. Instead of navigating by the stars, they use a handy GPS to locate 31 containers on the RiverWalk GeoTour.
“It’s a high-tech scavenger hunt,” says Peter Bowden, president and CEO of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, noting that people from as far away as Europe and Hawaii have participated.
Bowden says Columbus became the first city in the world to launch a geotour in May 2012, though others have since followed in its wake.
Looking for ways to promote its whitewater course, Bowden says that “with limited marketing dollars, we couldn’t speak to a true international audience.”
Groundspeak, an organization based in Seattle,...

06/06/14

Visit Fairburn for a taste of the 16th century at the 29th annual Georgia Renaissance Festival. June 7 and 8 make up the last weekend of this year's event, which features skilled artisans, strolling minstrels, mead, turkey legs, jousting, Maypole dancing and more. Increasingly, it has become a "cosplay" event, with the visitors sometimes out-costuming the professionals. For more information see http://www.garenfest.com/

06/03/14

One hundred fifty years ago this month, Union and Confederate forces faced off across Cobb County in battles large and small, including Kennesaw Mountain, one of the most important battles of the Atlanta Campaign. A number of commemorative events are happening in the Cobb area this month, and events continue in Georgia over the next year as the Civil War sesquicentennial winds down. Learn more about the Civil War in Georgia in this month’s feature stories. And find information about everything from reenactments, tours and ceremonies to musical performances, educational opportunities and lists of Civil War sites at the following websites.
The Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta History Center
B*ATL
Battle of Kennesaw Mountain 150th Anniversary
Civil War Trust
Civil...

05/30/14

05/27/14

Last week, the Atlanta BeltLine was awarded the Prix d ‘Excellence Award by the International Real Estate Federation for best environmental rehabilitation project in the world.
The award highlighted the organization's work on the Historic Fourth Ward Park, which was once a barren, contaminated site, but today is a vibrant part of the community that craftily incorporates flood protection and stormwater overflow solutions; the 2.25-mile Eastside Trail, a former abandoned heavy freight rail corridor that is now a ribbon of parkland and trails; and the city's first public skatepark and nearby athletic fields, a hot gathering spot for skaters, athletes and families.
Congratulations to Atlanta’s BeltLine!

05/16/14

05/14/14

Record Store Day, started by Atlantan and owner of Little Five Points' Criminal Records Eric Levin, has become a tidal force in the music industry. Nearly every label, large and small, plans limited releases for the annual occasion to entice collectors of all stripes to venture out across the country and take their music gathering off line.
Perhaps the economy has turned around – Criminal Records broke records (pardon the pun) with their biggest sale day in over 20 years at this year's RSD April 19. Shoppers waited patiently in line, in the rain, starting at 2:30 a.m. in anticipation of the more than 450 music releases created specifically for independent music stores for the special day.
Both Criminal and neighboring Wax n' Facts had live music throughout...

05/09/14

A sunset on any coast is beautiful, and this one on Georgia's coast at Jekyll Island is no exception. Read about the Jekyll Island community and their conservation and revitilzation efforts. In fact, read about our past coverage in Georgia Trend Magazine.

05/06/14

Know any cool railroad spots? The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Commission, in partnership with RailGA.com, is having a Historic Railroads of Georgia photography contest through May 25.
Photos of historic buildings and structures associated with Georgia's many railroads, the network of which positioned our state to lead the rest of the south, are eligible. This is the contest's fifth year. Entries are featured in an online gallery, and will be shown on Thursday, May 29 at Rhodes Hall in Atlanta as part of the free Preservation Month Lecture Series.

04/29/14

Georgia Trend Co-Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Neely Young received the Atlanta Press Club’s 2013 Award of Excellence for Commentary, at the Awards of Excellence reception last night.
He was honored for his columns “Shame On Us,” which addresses immigration reform, and “Hospitals Under Stress,” which makes the case for Medicaid expansion in Georgia.
His son, Co-Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Ben Young, accepted the award on Neely’s behalf.
Congratulations Neely!

04/25/14

The Blessing of the Fleet in Darien, Ga., is an annual celebration in April of the start of the shrimping season. Events include a YMCA 5K, children's activities, a classic car show, art, food and drink vendors, and live entertainment. Darien's Blessing of the Fleet is the largest on the East Coast.
Photos by Neely Young are from the Marine Parade, and include Glenna Hounce, the fish princess.

04/22/14

Business and nonprofit leaders from Georgia and beyond gathered at the Georgia Aquarium last Wednesday, April 16, 2014, to celebrate Georgia’s environment and sustainable business practices at the Earth Day Leadership Breakfast, presented by EarthShare of Georgia.
Now in its 12th year, the breakfast featured keynote speaker Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, a University of Georgia professor and 2013 president of the American Meteorological Society. Environmental updates were presented by several environmental leaders, including Nature Conservancy Executive Director and 2013 100 Most Influential Georgian Deron Davis. The program also included displays from area environmental groups supported by EarthShare of Georgia and business networking.
EarthShare of Georgia also honored and...

04/18/14

In the May 2013 Sustainable Georgia we discussed green infrastructure planned by The Conservation Fund as a means of improving the Vine City/English Avenue neighborhood in West Atlanta. This month the neighborhood broke ground on Lindsey Street Park, the first ever park in the English Avenue neighborhood.
On April 4, volunteers from the Blank Family of Businesses, as part of that organization's All-Associates Day, rolled up their sleeves and kicked off the next phase of this community-driven effort by clearing brush, debris and invasive species. Later this spring, neighborhood residents will begin construction on the park.
“The park will be more than just a nice open space in the city, as you touched upon in your article,” says Ann Simonelli, media manager for...

04/15/14

“Coloring,” a group show at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center features Bill Adams, Paul Stephen Benjamin, Rutherford Chang, Kate Shepherd and Anne Lindberg, whose work “taut green” is pictured. Read more about the ACAC's new redesign in this month's Sustainable Georgia.

04/08/14

Black gill is a fairly common disorder in the shrimp that live in the shoreline waters from Savannah to St. Marys. It is not a disease, but rather is caused by an organism entering the shrimp’s body. It tarnishes the look of the food, though it isn’t harmful to the humans who eat it.
Scientists say shrimping is about a $20 million-a-year industry on Georgia’s coast, and they are hoping to find ways of reducing the threat of black gill. Pictured: Inspecting and studying shrimp and other marine life on the research vessel Savannah.
Learn more about black gill in this month’s Georgia Trend feature Savannah: Stretching Out. Photo credit: Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.

04/04/14

Robert Cray, Branford Marsalis, and Fatoumata Diawara (photo) are among the artists performing at Savannah Music Festival this weekend.
This is the 25th anniversary of the festival, which features 100 performances spread across the city over three weeks and includes jazz, classical, funk and world music. In honor of the anniversary, Oglethorpe Gallery is hosting “Sound and Vision,” a collection of photos from the SMF archives by Frank Stewart and Ayano Hisa.
Past performers at the SMF, the largest and certainly the most stylistically diverse music festival in Georgia, have included Amad Jamal, Kenny Barron, Maceo Parker, Bill Frisell, Marcus Roberts, Zakir Hussain, Eddie Palmieri, and Wayne Shorter.
Read more about Savannah in this...

04/03/14

Driving down Ponce de Leon to get to downtown or Piedmont Park or simply to commute home towards Decatur, or maybe even to get a hot donut at the large and busy Krispy Kreme location, hundreds of people a day drive by an abandoned Kodak Building. Many people remember the day when we had to drop film off and days later we would get a package of pictures and negatives we would look through to see if there were a few redeemable pictures to paste into photo albums. Photo processing went to "Same Day" service and many of us found it as a luxury, or (nearly) an instantaneous gratification treat.
Kids today don't remember when the buildings like this held the memories of thousands of people, waiting to be picked up or mailed out. It's hard to teach the way we...

03/26/14

The 2014 Georgia Logistics Summit was held last week at the Georgia World Congress Center, alongside MODEX & Supply Chain and Transportation USA on adjacent levels (photo above). Together the shows bring in more than 20,000 people. Georgia Trend is a media partner for the Summit, which is hosted by the Georgia Department of Economic Development Center of Innovation for Logistics and brought 2,300 attendees this year, another record.
Family business panel, left to right: Vince Eget, Partner, Bennett Thrasher, LLP; Heidi Green, Managing Partner, Perdue Partners, LLC; Michael Golden, Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory, LLP; Rob Adams, Managing Director, EVE Partners, LLC.
One breakout panel hosted by Arnall Golden Gregory discussed consolidation in the logistics...

03/17/14

03/14/14

Gwinnett County Commissioner Chairman Charlotte Nash, featured in Georgia Trend's 100th Anniversary of the Association of County Commissioners feature, giving her "State of the County" address, and on Memorial Day of last year.

03/11/14

A pop-up installation by Gina Somebody for Voyeur Designs at Paces Ferry Plaza, 3539 Northside Parkway Northwest, Atlanta, featuring nearly 75,000 feet of fluorescent yarn and string and 3,600 screws. Voyeur Designs is an Atlanta-based collaborative that creates site-specific sculptures in vacant retail spaces. Through blending art and design they transform empty storefronts into focal points for the developments they inhabit. The installations demand attention, promote the property and raise the bar in commercial real estate marketing. This particular piece is lit at night and it is a highly recommended sight to see.

03/04/14

In January, the Georgia Municipal Association hosted the 2014 Mayor's Day Conference in Atlanta. Keynote was Presentor Dr. James Johnson Jr. Director, Urban Investment Strategies Center, Frank Hawkins Kenan Insititute for Private Enterprise; William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is a demographics expert. Among the trends he discussed were the vanishing of men from the white collar workplace, the shortage in service industry employees needed to match the growing senior population, and the deficit of social services matching the needs of the working class. It was an eye opener. Georgia Trend Publisher Ben Young also spoke at the event, discussing Georgia Trend's February Hub Cities article....

02/25/14

The Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership held their 2014 Summit, New Ideas and Old Friends, at Cox Enterprises in Dunwoody last month. Each year some 30 Georgians are selected to attend monthly weekends at different parts of the state examining sustainability issues across Georgia's diverse geographic and economic spectrum.
Judy Adler from the Turner Foundation announced the creation of the Barbara Gallo Scholarship, created in honor of the late IGEL leader to strengthen IGEL's recruitment ability to include those who may not otherwise be able to afford it, and an interactive session looked at both sides of the Savannah Harbor deepening, with both the Georgia Ports Authority and Southern Environmental Law Center moderating - two divergent views to say the least....

02/20/14

It's easier than ever to stay connected to Georgia Trend Magazine and Georgia Trend Daily. The magazine and our popular daily newsletter will keep you informed with the news you need to know about living and working in Georgia. Subscribe here today!

02/18/14

This photo was taken near Blood Mountain, North Georgia on January 30, 2014 during a rare snow event in the South. Blood Mountain is the highest peak of the Appalachian Trail and the sixth tallest mountain in Georgia. It borders Lumpkin County.

02/13/14

The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce recently held Clean Tech Executive Forum at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. The event was sponsored by Coca Cola, Cousins, Georgia Center for Innovation in Energy, Toto, and Nissan.
Jay Shaver (photo), Senior Project Manager GE Digital Energy, said the energy business is booming. “We expect demand to grow by 75 percent by 2030,” he said. GE employs 30,000 and brings in $137 billion in revenue. Smartgrid technology has made efficiency/sustainability the “fifth fuel,” and GE's Grid IQ Experience Center in Atlanta has had 10,000 visitors since opening in 2010.
Explaining the “fifth fuel” concept, John Rossi, CEO of Comverge, said that there are three points of leakage in the current...

01/17/14

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce just concluded its three day gala with the annual “Eggs & Issues” Breakfast with remarks from Gov. Nathan Deal, House Speaker David Ralston and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle. Public safety and the port deepening were high on the agenda, with the governor planning to expand life flight helicopter service to southwest Georgia, complete the Jimmy Deloach Parkway and provide more funding to make sure the Savannah Harbor will be deepened in time for new port traffic from the Panama Canal. “We’re ready to get this show on the road,” says Deal.
Education and work force development were among other highlighted topics, with the governor pledging $5 million of this year’s budget to welding, health, diesel and information...